12th ICC INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL
MEDIATION COMPETITION
COMPETITION RULES
3 February 2017 – 8 February 2017
Paris, France
19 July 2016
© 2016, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
RULE 0.0
DEFINITIONS ............................................................................................................... 5
RULE 1.0
ORGANIZATION OF THE COMPETITION ............................................................ 9
Rule 1.1
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 9
Rule 1.2
Language .......................................................................................................................................... 9
Rule 1.3
Format ............................................................................................................................................ 10
RULE 2.0
MEDIATION SESSION PROCEDURES................................................................. 10
Rule 2.1 General Procedures ........................................................................................................................ 10
Rule 2.1.1
Timing .......................................................................................................................................... 11
Rule 2.1.2
Breaks .......................................................................................................................................... 12
Rule 2.1.3
Caucuses ...................................................................................................................................... 12
Rule 2.1.4
Appropriate Use of Caucuses ...................................................................................................... 14
Rule 2.2
Judging Criteria ............................................................................................................................... 14
Rule 2.3
Mediators and Judges ..................................................................................................................... 14
Rule 2.4
Timekeeping ................................................................................................................................... 15
Rule 2.5
Governing Law ................................................................................................................................ 15
Rule 2.6
Handout ......................................................................................................................................... 15
Rule 2.7
Admitted Material during the Mediation Session ........................................................................... 16
Rule 2.8
Permissible Assistance to Teams .................................................................................................... 16
Rule 2.9
Prohibited Assistance ..................................................................................................................... 16
Rule 2.10
Observing ................................................................................................................................... 17
Rule 2.11
Judges’ Scoring ........................................................................................................................... 18
Rule 2.12
Judges’ and Mediators’ Feedback .............................................................................................. 19
Rule 2.13
Communication between Participants ....................................................................................... 20
Rule 2.14
Winning the Preliminary Rounds ................................................................................................ 20
Rule 2.15
Ranking of Teams ....................................................................................................................... 20
Rule 2.16
Scores and Ranking Provided to the Teams ................................................................................ 21
RULE 3.0
MEDIATION PLAN................................................................................................... 21
Rule 3.1
Submission of Mediation Plans for Scoring ..................................................................................... 22
Rule 3.2
Submission of Mediation Plans for the Judges ................................................................................ 22
Rule 3.3
Scoring of the Mediation Plans ....................................................................................................... 22
RULE 4.0
COMPETITION PROBLEMS .................................................................................. 23
Rule 4.1
Problems ........................................................................................................................................ 23
Rule 4.2
Clarifications and Interpretation of the Problems ........................................................................... 23
Rule 4.3
Staying within the Record ............................................................................................................... 24
RULE 5.0
PARTICIPATION AND ELIGIBILITY................................................................... 24
Rule 5.1
Participating universities ................................................................................................................ 24
Rule 5.2
Eligible Students ............................................................................................................................. 25
Rule 5.3
Attendance ..................................................................................................................................... 26
RULE 6.0
TEAM APPLICATION AND REGISTRATION .................................................... 26
Rule 6.1
Application Process ........................................................................................................................ 26
Rule 6.2
Selection Criteria ............................................................................................................................ 27
Rule 6.3
Registration Fee .............................................................................................................................. 28
Rule 6.4
Team Contact ................................................................................................................................. 28
RULE 7.0
JUDGES AND MEDIATORS .................................................................................... 28
Rule 7.1
Application and Selection ............................................................................................................... 28
Rule 7.2
Statement of Independence ........................................................................................................... 29
Rule 7.3
Coaches .......................................................................................................................................... 30
Rule 7.4
Confidential Information ................................................................................................................ 30
RULE 8.0
PENALTIES AND DISQUALIFICATION .............................................................. 30
RULE 9.0
AWARDS .................................................................................................................... 31
RULE 10.0
ICC ORGANIZING COMMITTEE ........................................................................... 32
Rule 10.1
Power to Take Additional Measures .......................................................................................... 32
Rule 10.2
Interpretation of Rules ............................................................................................................... 32
ANNEX I. Score Sheets ............................................................................................................................... 33
A.
Mediation Score Sheet – Preliminary Rounds.................................................................................. 33
B.
Mediation Score Sheet – Final Rounds ............................................................................................ 36
C.
Special Award Score Sheet – Preliminary Rounds............................................................................ 39
D.
Mediation Plan Score Sheet ............................................................................................................. 40
ANNEX II Instructions for Participants ....................................................................................................... 41
A.
Rules ................................................................................................................................................. 41
B.
Mediator .......................................................................................................................................... 41
C.
Mediation Plan ................................................................................................................................. 41
D.
Feedback Session ............................................................................................................................. 43
E.
Staying Within The Record ............................................................................................................... 43
ANNEX III Instructions for Mediators......................................................................................................... 45
A.
General Information ........................................................................................................................ 45
B.
Picture of Mediator’s Role ............................................................................................................... 47
C.
Flowchart Mediation Process ........................................................................................................... 51
D.
Mediator’s Intervention Sheet ......................................................................................................... 51
E. Mediator’s Feedback ......................................................................................................................... 55
ANNEX IV Instructions for Judges .............................................................................................................. 56
A.
General Information ........................................................................................................................ 56
B.
Judges’ Scoring Guidelines ............................................................................................................... 59
C.
Judges’ Feedback Guidelines ........................................................................................................... 61
D.
Judge’s Feedback Aide Memoire ..................................................................................................... 67
COMPETITION RULES
RULE 0.0
DEFINITIONS
The following terms have the corresponding meanings:
“BATNA” refers to the Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement, and refers to
the best thing a Party can do, without the consent of the other Party, if the Parties fail
to reach an agreement.
“Break” refers to a 3-minute period of time that can be requested once by each
Competing Team in each Mediation Session and during which the overall time of the
Mediation Session continues to run.
“Brief Biography” refers to a Team member’s written biography and includes
his/her nationality, native language, and a picture. The Brief Biography can have a
maximum of 60 words.
“Caucus” refers to a separate meeting between the Mediator and a Competing
Team. During the caucus the overall time of the Mediation Session continues to run.
“Centre” refers to the ICC International Centre for ADR which is a separate
entity from the ICC Court of Arbitration and its Secretariat and oversees the application
of the Rules relating to mediation, experts, dispute boards and DOCDEX.
“Coach” refers to the one or two person(s) selected by a Team or the Team’s
university to act as that Team's coach(es). Coaches are permitted to accompany the
Team to the Competition.
“Competing Team” refers to the two students from one Team competing in one
specific Mediation Session in the roles of Counsel and Client.
“Competition” refers to the 2017 ICC International Commercial Mediation
Competition.
“Confidential Information” refers to the background factual information of the
Problem for the exclusive use of a Party and the Judges but not the Mediator.
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“Counsel” and “Client” refer to the roles taken respectively by two members of
a Team during each Mediation Session; together they are referred to as a Competing
Team or as a Party.
“Cross-Caucus” refers to a separate meeting between the Mediator and both
Counsels or a separate meeting between the Mediator and both Clients of the
Competing Teams.
“Competition Problems Working Group” refers to the group, selected by the
Organizing Committee, in charge of drafting the Problems for the Competition.
“Eligible Student” refers to a person who meets the criteria defined in Rule 5.2.
“Final Rounds” refers to the Eighth-Finals, Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals, and the
Final, in which the winner of each Mediation Session progresses to the following
round.
“General Information” refers to the background factual information of the
Problem for the use by each Party, the Judges, and the Mediator.
“ICC” refers to the International Chamber of Commerce headquartered in Paris.
“ICC Mediation Rules” refer to the Mediation Rules of the ICC in force since
1 January 2014. A copy of the ICC Mediation Rules can be found on
http://www.iccwbo.org/products-and-services/arbitration-and-adr/mediation/rules/ .
“Judge” refers to a Professional selected by the Organizing Committee who
evaluates and scores the Teams’ performance during a Mediation Session in
accordance with the Judging Criteria.
“Judging Criteria” refer to the criteria set out on the Score Sheet.
“Law Student” refers to an Eligible Student studying law.
“Mediation” refers to the timeframe of 85 minutes for the actual mediation
between the two Competing Teams as described in Rule 2.1.
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“Mediation Plan” refers to each Team’s written case analysis referred to in
Rule 3.0.
“Mediation Plan Score Sheet” refers to the document in accordance with the
sample set out in Annex I.D.
“Mediation Session” refers to the timeframe of 150 minutes (Preliminary
Rounds) or 135 minutes (Final Rounds) as described in Rule 2.1
“Mediation Session Supervisor” refers to a person appointed by the Organizing
Committee to keep time during a Mediation Session and make sure the Rules are
followed.
“Mediator” refers to a professional mediator selected by the Organizing
Committee to take on the role of mediator during a Mediation.
“Observer” refers to any individual attending a Mediation Session without having
an active role in it.
“Organizing Committee” refers to a group of staff of the Centre which is in
charge of organizing and managing the Competition.
“Penalty(ies)” refers to points deducted for any violation of the Rules pursuant to
Rule 8.0.
“Preliminary Rounds” refer to the first phase of the Competition, in which teams
are selected for the Final Rounds on the number of wins and the number of points
according to Rule 2.15 .
“Problem” refers to an official international commercial dispute case distributed
by the Organizing Committee, as supplemented or corrected by any Problem
Clarifications, which Teams will attempt to resolve with the help of the Mediator during
the Mediation.
“Problem Clarifications” refer to the official clarifications or corrections of the
Competition Problems, as published pursuant to Rule 4.2.
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“Problem-Solving Approach” refers to an approach to mediation in which
participants ascertain each other’s interests, brainstorm options and seek to create a
solution that better meets their interests and needs than their BATNA.
“Professional” refers to an appropriately qualified and experienced volunteer
who is selected by the Organizing Committee to act as Mediator and/or Judge in the
Competition.
“Prohibited Assistance” refers to advice, instructions, or other communication to
a Team that is not in compliance with Rule 2.9.
“Requesting Party” and “Responding Party” refer to the Competing Team which
argues on behalf of the Party requesting the mediation and the Party responding to the
request for mediation at any given point in the Competition.
“Rules” refer to the Competition Rules.
“Score Sheet” refers to the document in accordance with the sample set out in
Annex I.A and Annex I.B.
“Special Award Score Sheet” refers to the document in accordance with the
sample set out in Annex I.C.
“Team” refers to a group of 2 to 4 Eligible Students representing one or two
universities accepted by the Organizing Committee to participate in the Competition.
“Visitor” refers to any individual who does not have any
active role in the
Competition and has been exceptionally authorized by the Organizing Committee to
attend the Competition and/or a Mediation Session.
“Volunteer” refers to an individual who has been accepted to attend the
Competition to perform a specific role, as Professional, Mediation Session Supervisor
or any other logistical duty deemed necessary by the Organizing Committee.
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RULE 1.0
ORGANIZATION OF THE COMPETITION
Rule 1.1
Introduction
The Competition is an educational event that seeks to encourage the effective use of
mediation and the open exchange of ideas, experience and know-how between
students and Professionals from different countries, cultures, generations and
backgrounds.
ICC has over 90 years of experience in devising rules to govern and facilitate the
conduct of international business. These rules include those designed to resolve the
conflicts that inevitably arise in business relations. ICC offers a wide range of dispute
resolution rules for business disputes, including the ICC Rules of Arbitration, the ICC
Mediation Rules, the ICC Expert Rules, and the ICC Dispute Board Rules. Details
about the dispute resolution services offered by ICC can be found at www.iccadr.org.
The ICC Mediation Rules govern all proceedings in which the parties wish to settle
their dispute amicably. Pursuant to the ICC Mediation Rules, the parties are free to
choose a settlement procedure other than mediation if they wish to do so. However,
should they not agree on a different settlement procedure, mediation will be used. All
Mediation Sessions during the Competition are conducted pursuant to the ICC
Mediation Rules.
The Competition assumes that the Parties did not agree on another settlement
procedure under the ICC Mediation Rules and accordingly mediation is used.
The focus of the Competition is to effectively combine the use of the Mediator and
collaborative problem-solving skills to successfully present the Parties’ interests and
progress towards resolution. It is ICC’s hope that the Competition will encourage the
teaching and learning of an effective use of mediation. ICC wishes to empower
tomorrow’s business people and legal practitioners to better meet the dispute
resolution needs of an increasingly cross-cultural and global market.
Rule 1.2
Language
The official and only language of the Competition is English.
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Rule 1.3
Format
The Competition consists of four Preliminary Rounds on the second, third, and fourth
days of the Competition and four Final Rounds on the fifth and sixth days of the
Competition.
During the Preliminary Rounds, each Team will, in principle, compete at least once per
day. Save in exceptional circumstances, every Team will compete on every Problem
only once. Depending on the Competition schedule, a Team may participate in two
Mediation Sessions, each with a different Problem, in one day. Due to scheduling
challenges, Teams consisting of four students may be asked by the Organizing
Committee to compete twice on the same Problem.
With respect to the Final Rounds, the Teams will compete on the four Problems
assigned in this order: the Eighth-Finals on the morning of the fifth day, the QuarterFinals on the afternoon of the fifth day, the Semi-Finals on the morning of the sixth
day, and the Final on the afternoon of the sixth day.
A Mediation Session will consist of the Mediator and two Competing Teams, with two
Team members (Client and Counsel) on each side representing respectively the
Requesting Party and the Responding Party. Additionally, Judges will be present in
order to evaluate the teams’ performance. There will be two Judges during the
Preliminary Rounds, three Judges during the Eighth-finals, Quarter-finals and Semifinals and five Judges during the Final.
Each university may nominate two to four Eligible Students to participate on a Team.
Each Team can be accompanied by a maximum of two Coaches.
RULE 2.0
MEDIATION SESSION PROCEDURES
Rule 2.1
General Procedures
In advance of the Competition, the Organizing Committee will randomly assign Teams
for the Preliminary Rounds (as Requesting Party or Responding Party). Every attempt
will be made so that no two Teams will compete against each other more than once
during the Preliminary Rounds.
10
In every Mediation, each Team will be represented by two students, with one (who
must be a Law Student) taking the role of Counsel and the other taking the role of
Client. These two students form the Competing Team for that Mediation Session. The
students in each Team are to determine amongst themselves who will take which role
and they may switch roles from one Mediation Session to the next. The role of
Counsel must however always be taken by a Law Student.
Violation of this rule may result in a penalty according to Rule 8.0.
RULE 2.1.1 TIMING
There are two timing systems as illustrated in the tables below:
Preliminary Rounds
Total Time for Mediation Session
= 150 min (2 hrs and 30 min)
Time to settle in the room
= 5 min (2 hrs 25 min remaining)
Time for Judges to read and score Mediation Plans
= 15 min (2 hrs 10 min
remaining)
Mediation
= 85 min (45 min remaining)
Scoring
= 15 min (30 min remaining)
*Feedback
= 30 min (0 min remaining)
*Feedback: Twenty minutes of feedback for the Judges and ten minutes for the Mediator.
Final Rounds
Total Time for Mediation Session
= 135 min (2 hrs and 15 min)
Time to settle in the room
= 5 min (2 hrs 10 min remaining)
Mediation
= 85 min (45 min remaining)
Scoring
= 15 min (30 min remaining)
*Feedback
= 30 min (0 min remaining)
*Feedback: Twenty minutes of feedback for the Judges and ten minutes for the Mediator.
The overall time allowance of 85 minutes for the Mediation continues to run during any
Caucus or Break.
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RULE 2.1.2 BREAKS
Each Competing Team may take one Break of no more than three minutes during the
Mediation. If a Competing Team calls for a Break, both Competing Teams together
with the Mediation Session Supervisor must leave the room during such Break.
Coaches, other members of the Teams not participating orally in the Mediation
Session, and all other persons must remain inside the room.
Silence is to be observed by people staying in the room, including the judges.
Failure to observe this Rule may result in a Penalty, as stated in Rule 8.0.
RULE 2.1.3 CAUCUSES
Caucuses between the mediator and the parties and/or their advisors can be helpful in
mediation.
During each Mediation Session the Mediator and the Competing Teams have the right
to call for Caucuses in accordance with the following provisions:

Each Caucus may last no longer than five minutes;

During any Caucus the Mediation Session Supervisor and the Competing Team
or the members of the Competing Teams not part of the Caucus shall leave the
room. The Judges, Coaches, other Team members, and all observers will
remain in the room;

Caucuses can take place between the Mediator and both members of a
Competing Team (a Caucus);

Caucuses can also take place between the Mediator and either the Counsel
from both Competing Teams or the Clients from both Competing Teams (a
Cross-Caucus);

Each Competing Team has the right to call for one Caucus and for one CrossCaucus during a Mediation;

The Mediator may call for one Caucus with each of the Competing Teams
during a Mediation;
12

The Mediator may call for one Cross-Caucus with the Counsel from each
Competing Team and one Cross-Caucus with the Clients from each Competing
Team during a Mediation;

Competing Team members who are not participating in a Caucus may talk to
each other outside the room during a Caucus.
Summary table of the possible caucuses and breaks
CAUCUSES
Caucus requested by
Team
Caucus requested by
Mediator
Team A
Team B
1
1
1
1
Duration
5 min
5 min
Who leaves the
room
the Mediation
Session
Supervisor and
either the other
Competing Team
or the members
of both
Competing
Teams not part
of the Caucus
CROSS CAUCUSES
Both Counsel
Both Clients
Cross-Caucus
requested by Team A
1
5 min
Cross-Caucus
requested by Team B
1
5 min
Cross-Caucus
requested by
Mediator
1
1
5 min
the Mediation
Session
Supervisor and
the members of
both Competing
Teams not part
of the Caucus
BREAKS
Break requested by a
Team
1
1
13
3 min
both Competing
Teams together
with the
Mediation
Session
Supervisor
RULE 2.1.4 APPROPRIATE USE OF CAUCUSES
Caucuses can be a useful tool in mediation under specific circumstances. Competing
Teams should call for a Caucus when they consider they need input from the Mediator
during a Caucus to progress the Mediation. However, students are strongly
encouraged to spend the majority of the Mediation in joint session in order to be able
to communicate directly with the other Party. A Competing Team’s reasonable use and
non-use of Caucuses will be evaluated. Often the decision not to call for a Caucus
might be more sensible within the circumstances of the specific Mediation than to call
for a Caucus.
A Caucus should not be used to seek clarification of the Competition Rules or any
procedural matter. Examples of the appropriate use of a Caucus are when a
Competing Team:

Wishes to clarify an issue or issues within the Problem or otherwise seek advice
or guidance from the Mediator;

Wishes to share with the Mediator facts, concerns, interests, or information that
are or might be relevant to the progress of the Mediation to determine how and
when it might be best to present such facts or information to the other
Competing Team;

Wants to explore or make an offer/proposal and/or explore with the Mediator
how best to present the offer/proposal within the Mediation.
Rule 2.2
Judging Criteria
The Judging Criteria are applied to the performance of both the Counsel and Client in
the Competing Team and are set out in the Score Sheet annexed to the Competition
Rules. There is no requirement or reward for reaching a resolution or a settlement.
Rule 2.3
Mediators and Judges
In each Mediation Session one Professional will serve as the Mediator and two
Professionals will serve as the Judges during the Preliminary Rounds. There will be
three Judges in the Eighth-finals, Quarter-finals and Semi-finals and five Judges in the
14
Final. The Judges will evaluate and score the performance of the Teams according to
the Judging Criteria.
The Organizing Committee is responsible for selecting the Mediators and Judges and
for allocating them to Mediation Sessions in each round of the Competition. Every
attempt will be made for the Teams to face a different Mediator and different Judges in
each round; however, due to limited availabilities this might not always be possible.
The Organizing Committee will make its best efforts to ensure that the Mediators and
Judges are neutral, independent, and impartial towards the Teams they are judging.
Rule 2.4
Timekeeping
Responsibility for timekeeping rests with the Mediation Session Supervisor during the
Mediation Sessions. The Mediation Session Supervisor’s decision on timekeeping is
final.
If no Mediation Session Supervisor is available for a Mediation Session, the Judges
are in charge of timekeeping.
Failure to adhere to time limits may result in a Penalty, as stated in Rule 8.0.
Rule 2.5
Governing Law
The Problems may refer to real or fictional places. However, and unless a Problem
explicitly indicates otherwise, for purposes of the Competition it is assumed that there
is no governing law and that the jurisdiction applies general principles of uniform
international commercial law.
Rule 2.6
Handout
Teams may present during each Mediation only one handout, limited to one A4 sheet
of paper (one-sided), which can include any kind of content (pictures, diagrams,
graphic representations, drawings, text or other). Copies of this handout shall be given
to the Mediator and the Judges when first produced by a Competing Team. Competing
Teams are permitted to write on this handout during the course of the Mediation.
Competing Teams are prohibited from using for general presentation or presentation
15
to the Mediator any other objects, handouts, exhibits or papers prepared in advance
including video, computers, or other technology and displays.
Failure to observe this Rule may result in a Penalty, as stated in Rule 8.0.
Rule 2.7
Admitted Material during the Mediation Session
For the Mediation Session each Competing Team can bring and use its own prepared
notes for its own use and can, if need be, make its own notes during the Mediation
Session. All notes must be written on paper. Each Competing Team can also bring
and use a calculator and a watch (or equivalent: stopwatch, timer, etc.) if it wishes to
do so.
Use of any other electronic devices, such as mobile phones of any type or any
other electronic devices, such as tablets, laptops, etc. and in particular any
artefact capable of recording information is not permitted in the room where the
Mediation Session takes place. Photographing during the Mediation is also
forbidden. This applies to Teams, Coaches, Professionals, Observers and
Visitors.
Only Judges and the Mediator having an active role in the session and the Organizing
Committee constitute an exception to this Rule, to the extent that is necessary for
performing their duties for the Competition.
Rule 2.8
Permissible Assistance to Teams
The Coach(es) may advise and assist their Team in its planning and preparation for
the Competition, including in advance of the Final Rounds.
Rule 2.9
Prohibited Assistance
No person associated with a Competing Team, including the Coach(es), may give
advice, assistance or instructions to, or communicate or attempt to communicate with
any of the participants, and in particular with the two students forming the Competing
Team, in any way, during the Mediation. Violation of this Rule, regardless of the
substance thereof, and regardless of whether initiated by a participant or by any
other person, may result in disqualification from the Competition of the whole
16
Team with which the person is associated, as stated in Rule 8.0. Harmless error
will not be a defence to a complaint based on violation of this Rule.
Rule 2.10 Observing
(a)
Any person who is not a Team member, Coach, Mediator or Judge will not be
permitted to attend the Competition including Mediation Sessions, unless specifically
invited by the Organizing Committee.
(b)
The Organizing Committee has total discretion in deciding whether a Volunteer
or a Visitor can be accepted to the Competition or in a specific Mediation Session, and
in taking the necessary actions to ensure all participants act in a fair and unbiased way
during the Competition. To this end, Volunteers and Visitors will be asked to sign a
statement of independence from the Competing Teams ahead of the Competition.
(c)
If space allows, and the provisions of Rules 2.10(e) and 2.10(f) permit, Teams
and Coaches may attend all Mediation Sessions during the Competition, unless
otherwise prohibited by the Organizing Committee (which will organize access to the
Mediation Sessions).
(d)
Any person associated with a Competing Team, including the Coach(es) should
choose seats, space allowing, from which they cannot be seen by the Competing
Team associated to them. The Mediation Session Supervisor will make sure this rule
is observed and will have the final word on whether the seats chosen are acceptable
or not.
(e)
Teams and Coaches may not attend the Mediation Session of a Team against
which the Organizing Committee has assigned their Team to compete in future
Preliminary Rounds.
(f)
Teams and Coaches may not attend a Mediation Session during which a
Competition Problem is dealt with that has not yet been dealt with by that Team in a
Mediation Session (except where the Team has not qualified for the Round in
question).
17
(g) The Organizing Committee ensures, as a minimum, that all the rooms in which the
Mediation Sessions are scheduled have sufficient capacity to host the two Competing
Teams, the Judges, the Mediator and the Mediation Session Supervisor.
h) The Organizing Committee will make every effort to ensure that the rooms can also
host the other members of the two Teams competing as well as their Coaches,
although this may not be possible at all times. If this is the case, the following order of
priority is suggested, but the Teams may ultimately chose in their own discretion which
Team member(s) and/or Coach(es) will attend the session, as long as parity between
the two Teams competing is respected:
1. Coaches
2. Other student members of the Team who are not competing.
(i)
In case of limited space in the room, the Coaches and other members of the
Team competing in that session have the priority on any other person, for example,
over any Observer or Visitor who may want to attend.
(j) Coaches, Team members, Volunteers and Visitors will not be allowed to leave the
room whilst the Mediation Session is in progress.
(k) Audio or video recording is strictly forbidden during the Mediation Session by any
one attending such session.
(l)
Failure to comply with this Rule may result in a disqualification as defined
under Rule 8.0.
Rule 2.11 Judges’ Scoring
At the beginning of the Mediation Session in the Preliminary Rounds, the Judges will
be granted fifteen minutes to read and score the Competing Teams’ Mediation Plans
by using the Mediation Plan Score Sheet.
Only the Judges, the Mediator, and the Mediation Session Supervisor are allowed to
stay in the room while the Judges carry out such reading and scoring: everyone else
must leave.
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Following the Mediation, the Teams, Coaches, and Observers shall leave the room
and the Judges will score the performance of each Competing Team in accordance
with the instructions set out in Annex IV by completing the Mediation Score Sheet.
During the Preliminary Rounds, Judges shall also decide whether to nominate the
Competing Teams for one or more Special Awards by completing the Special Award
Score Sheet.
The Mediation Session Supervisor and the Mediator may remain in the room with the
Judges while they are scoring.
Thereafter, the Teams, Coaches, and observers will be invited to re-enter the room.
Rule 2.12 Judges’ and Mediators’ Feedback
Each of the Judges will then provide feedback to each Competing Team, for no more
than 10 minutes each in the preliminary Rounds and no more than 7 minutes each in
the Final Rounds. Feedback will be based on each Competing Team’s performance in
the Mediation.
The Judge’s feedback must be consistent with the Judges’ feedback guidelines in
Annex IV.C.
Judges must not reveal to any Team the results of their individual
determinations and any Team’s scores. During their feedback, Judges may refer
to the Confidential Information relating to the problem that was discussed
during the Mediation to the extent that such Confidential Information was
disclosed by the Competing Teams.
If a Judge decides to recommend the application of a Penalty upon a Competing
Team, he or she should inform the concerned Competing Team accordingly during the
feedback. The Judge should explicitly indicate the Rule violated but shall not indicate
the number of points subtracted.
After the Judges’ feedback, the Mediator has 10 minutes to provide feedback to the
Competing Teams.
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For more detail on feedback procedures, please see Annex III.E and Annex IV.C.
Rule 2.13 Communication between Participants
The Competition is an educational event that seeks to encourage the open exchange
of ideas, experience and know-how between students and Professionals from different
cultures, generations and backgrounds.
Accordingly, exchange and dialogue between Judges and Mediators with Teams
outside the Mediation is permitted and indeed encouraged (including regarding the
Mediation Plans), subject always to the third paragraph of Rule 2.12, and to the
principles of independence, impartiality and neutrality.
Professionals are invited to share their insights with students about a particular
Mediation Session or their practice in general.
Nevertheless, Professionals are under a duty of confidentiality and must not reveal to
any Team its or any other Teams’ scores for a particular Mediation Session or the
content of any Confidential Information, with the only exception of references to the
Confidential Information during their feedback, in accordance with the third paragraph
of Rule 2.12.
Teams are also under a duty of confidentiality and must not reveal the Confidential
Information outside the Mediation.
During the Mediation, only the two Competing Teams, the Mediator, the Mediation
Session Supervisor and a member of the Organizing Committee (if any) are allowed to
speak, whereas anybody else present in the room must observe silence.
Rule 2.14 Winning the Preliminary Rounds
The Team with the greatest number of points will be the winner of that round in the
Preliminary Rounds.
Rule 2.15 Ranking of Teams
Teams will be ranked and selected for the Final Rounds based on the following
criteria, in decreasing order of importance:
20

total number of Score Sheets designating a “Win”;

total number of overall points;

lowest total of the differentials between the number of points scored in each
Mediation Session.
Rule 2.16 Scores and Ranking Provided to the Teams
After the end of the Competition, each Team shall receive its Score Sheets and the
ranking of the top 33 Teams after the Preliminary Rounds will be published on the
Competition website. Teams may also ask the Organizing Committee for their
individual ranking by email.
RULE 3.0
MEDIATION PLAN
Each Team shall provide a Mediation Plan for each Mediation Session in which it
competes during the Preliminary Rounds, according to the Instructions for Participants
in Annex II.C.
The Mediation Plan must clearly indicate the name of the Team’s university as well as
the names of each of the members of the Team. The Brief Biographies of each Team
member must be attached to the Mediation Plan.
Mediation Plans should contain a case analysis evaluating the respective strategic
strong points and weak points of the Requesting Party and the Responding Party, their
respective needs and interests, their respective BATNAs, and their respective
objectives and goals during the Mediation.
The Mediation Plan must be no more than 2 pages in 12-point, Arial font, 1.5 spacing
and will not be accepted by the Organizing Committee if it does not comply with this.
For further guidance, please see “Instructions for Participants” (Annex II).
21
Rule 3.1
Submission of Mediation Plans for Scoring
The Mediation Plans for all Preliminary Rounds’ Problems must be submitted to the
Organizing Committee by email to [email protected] at the latest
on 15 January 2017. Mediation Plans for the Preliminary Rounds will not be accepted
after this date.
Teams will not be permitted to modify their Mediation Plans after submission to the
Organizing Committee.
Rule 3.2
Submission of Mediation Plans for the Judges
Each Competing Team must submit two copies of its Mediation Plan to the Mediation
Session Supervisor at the beginning of each Mediation Session during the Preliminary
Rounds. The Mediation Session Supervisor is in charge of submitting the Mediation
Plans to the Judges.
The Team not submitting the Mediation Plan will fail to obtain any points for the
Mediation plan, pursuant to the Score Sheet (Annex I.A).
During the Competition, the Organizing Committee does not provide printing or
copying facilities.
Rule 3.3
Scoring of the Mediation Plans
The Mediation Plans will be scored by the Judges at the beginning of the Mediation
Session during the Preliminary Rounds. The score received for a Mediation Plan will
count towards that Team’s overall score in the specific Mediation Session for a
maximum of four points. The Mediation Plans will be scored on the basis of the
Mediation Plan Score Sheet as provided in Annex I.D.
22
RULE 4.0
COMPETITION PROBLEMS
Rule 4.1
Problems
Each Problem will consist of General Information for all Parties and Confidential
Information for each of the Requesting Party and the Responding Party, respectively.
Judges shall receive copies of the General Information and the Confidential
Information for each Party and shall read these prior to any Mediation Sessions.
Mediators shall receive the copies of the General Information and shall read this only.
For logistical reasons, Mediators might also receive copies of the Confidential
Information but they shall not read them.
Eight Problems will be sent to all Teams before the start of the Competition. All Teams
will receive General and Confidential Information for the four Preliminary Rounds in
advance. General Information for the Eighth-Final, Quarter-Final, Semi-Final and Final
will also be sent in advance. However, Confidential Information and assignment of
roles for each of the Final Rounds will be provided at the end of the Preliminary
Rounds, Eighth-Finals, Quarter-Finals, and Semi-Finals.
Teams, Coaches, Professionals, members of the Organizing Committee and anyone
else who knows the Confidential Information may not directly or indirectly disclose any
Confidential Information to any other person, save that disclosure by Teams during a
Mediation and comments on such disclosures by Judges during their feedback are
permitted, in accordance with the third paragraph of Rule 2.12.
Non-compliance with this Rule by a person associated with a Team may lead to
disqualification of the Team concerned in accordance with Rule 8.0.
Rule 4.2
Clarifications and Interpretation of the Problems
Every effort will be made to ensure that Problems are clear. Each Team may submit to
the Organizing Committee on or before 21 November 2016 a maximum of one written
question for clarification or interpretation of either the General Information or the
Confidential Information per Problem by the Competition Problems Working Group to
[email protected].
23
Clarifications can be requested only for ambiguity or possible errors, not to request
additional information, as the Problems are self-contained.
These questions shall relate only to the Problems: the Competition Problems Working
Group will have complete discretion in answering them.
Rule 4.3
Staying within the Record
The Problems are self-contained and include all relevant facts. Teams may not
misrepresent facts nor create new facts. However, the facts of the Problems are
subject to reasonable interpretation and Teams may draw reasonable conclusions
from them.
Teams are discouraged from carrying out research. If, however, they nevertheless
decide to do so, any information presented should be limited to the strict minimum
necessary to advance the Mediation and to find creative solutions to the Problem,
whilst staying within the Problem’s record.
Whether a Team’s interpretation made and conclusions drawn are reasonable and
whether information presented by a Team respects the previous paragraph of this
Rule 4.3 is a matter entirely within the discretion of the Judges.
Failure to stay within the record may result in a Penalty in accordance with
Rule 8.0.
RULE 5.0
PARTICIPATION AND ELIGIBILITY
Rule 5.1
Participating universities
a) The Organizing Committee does not accept individual applications from students,
but only applications from universities.
b) Any university may apply.
c) Each university may nominate only one Team, consisting of a minimum of two and
a maximum of four students.
24
d) Each university can chose in its total discretion which students to select to be part
of the Team that is going to represent it, as long as the selected students are all
eligible, according to Rule 5.2.
e) Only a Law Student may take the role of Counsel. Accordingly, at least one
member of each Team must be a Law Student.
f) Two universities may apply together to bring one joint Team to the Competition.
Rule 5.2
(a)
Eligible Students
The Competition is open to all full-time and part-time students (excluding postgraduate doctorate students) registered in a university during the academic
period during which the Competition is held.
(b)
Team members do not have to be of the same nationality as that of their
universities.
(c)
In order to enable as many Eligible Students as possible to participate in the
Competition each year, each student is entitled to participate in the
Competition only once.
Special provision regarding Law Students:
Persons who are entitled to practice law in any jurisdiction, by having passed a bar
exam or otherwise, are NOT Eligible Students. However, students who have gained
their qualification to practice law automatically with the completion of their
undergraduate law studies (i.e. without a further bar exam or similar) and who certify
that they have not yet practiced as a lawyer (i.e. provided legal advice to clients) are
Eligible Students provided they are currently registered in a law school.
Any Team that breaches this Rule 5.2 will be disqualified from the Competition.
If only one member of the Team breaches Article 5.2(a) or 5.2(c), it is in the
discretion of the Organizing Committee to disqualify the whole Team or only
that member. If the Team is subsequently left with less than two students, the
whole Team will be disqualified.
25
Rule 5.3
Attendance
Each Team may be accompanied at the Competition by a maximum of two Coaches.
Additional persons and students who are not members of a Team may NOT
accompany a Team to the Competition.
It is in the discretion of the Organizing Committee to disqualify the whole Team, should
Rule 5.2 not be followed.
RULE 6.0
TEAM APPLICATION AND REGISTRATION
Rule 6.1
Application Process
The Organizing Committee will initiate two application periods.
The first application period will run from around mid-July 2016 until mid-August 2016.
The second application period will run from early September 2016 until around earlyOctober 2016. The exact dates of each application period and the modalities on how
to apply will be published on http://www.iccwbo.org/training-and-events/competitionsand-awards/mediation-competition/university-application/,
on
Facebook:
ICC
Mediation and on Twitter: @ICCMediation.
Each university wishing to participate must apply online within one of the two
application periods described above.
The Organizing Committee will inform universities of their acceptance or nonacceptance in late August 2016 (first application period) or late October 2016 (second
application period), in accordance with the schedule published online.
Subsequently, each university that has been accepted must provide the Organizing
Committee (within the time limit indicated) with the names, contact details, and Brief
Biography of each Team member. A template will be made available by the Organizing
Committee.
When applying, each university must declare that the Rules have been read and
understood by each of its Team members. When submitting the details of the Team
26
members, each Team must declare that all Team members are eligible under
Rule 5.2 and, if need be, have a passport valid for travel to the Competition.
Rule 6.2
Selection Criteria
The Organizing Committee will decide in its discretion which universities are accepted
to participate in the Competition.
For the 2017 Competition the Organizing Committee will accept a maximum of 66
Teams.
The Organizing Committee may put in place agreements with national or regional premoots, whose winner will automatically be accepted to participate in the Competition.
Teams selected through this means are counted in the total 66 Teams.
Apart from such reserved places for winners, participation and ranking in a pre-moot
have no positive or negative effect on and do not preclude the direct application to
participate in the Competition.
During each application period, the Organizing Committee will accept a maximum of
33 Teams.
In each application period 10 places are reserved for universities that have not yet
participated in the Competition.
Should places for universities applying for the first time not be filled at the end of each
of the application periods, remaining places will be offered to returning universities.
Universities that have not participated during the two last Competitions (2016 and
2015) will be considered as not having previously participated in the Competition.
Within the two above categories the Organizing Committee will select universities
based on the following criteria in no particular order:

preference will be given to universities who have an alternative dispute
resolution curriculum (special focus on mediation is an advantage);

performance in previous ICC Mediation Competitions (if applicable);

representation of cultural and regional diversity amongst the selected
27
universities.
In the event that the above selection criteria are insufficient to make a selection
between two universities, the Organizing Committee will make a selection in its
absolute discretion.
Rule 6.3
Registration Fee
Upon acceptance of the Team by the Organizing Committee, each university must pay
the full registration fee within the time limit as indicated by the Organizing Committee.
50% of the registration fee will be refunded if notice of cancellation is received in
writing before 6 November, 2016. No refund will be made for cancellations received
after this date.
Please note that ICC reserves the right to cancel this event or to make minor
alterations to the content and timing of the programme. In the unlikely event of
cancellation, paying participants will be offered a full refund. ICC will not, however, be
held responsible for any related expense incurred by the participants.
Non-payment of the Registration Fee within the time limit communicated by the
Organizing Committee may lead to disqualification in accordance with Rule 8.0.
Rule 6.4
Team Contact
Each Team must designate to the Organizing Committee a Team Contact. Notice to
the Team Contact constitutes notice to all Team members.
RULE 7.0
JUDGES AND MEDIATORS
Rule 7.1
Application and Selection
Trained and experienced mediators or mediation trainers from all around the world are
invited to apply to participate as volunteer mediators and judges in the Competition.
28
Such volunteers will serve as Mediators in the Mediation Sessions or as Judges, who
evaluate and score the Participating Students' performance.
An online application system will be put in place by the Organizing Committee to
receive applications. Details on the application process and the deadlines will be
published
on
http://www.iccwbo.org/training-and-events/competitions-and-
awards/mediation-competition/professional-application/
ICC will select in its absolute discretion the Professionals to participate in the 2017
Competition.
The Organizing Committee will select Professionals based on the following criteria (in
no particular order):

mediation qualification

mediation accreditation

experience in commercial mediation

other relevant dispute resolution experience and professional background

availability

English skills

cross-cultural experience

experience in conducting mediation and ADR trainings.
Rule 7.2
Statement of Independence
Once selected, all Judges and Mediators shall provide to the Organizing Committee a
Statement of Independence declaring his/her neutrality, impartiality, and independence
to judge and/ or mediate any of the Teams in the Competition and disclosing any
relationships with any Team’s university, a Team member, a Coach or a person
affiliated with a Team.
29
The Organizing Committee can disqualify a Judge from judging or a Mediator from
mediating a round if the Organizing Committee considers that she or he has a
relationship with a Team member and/or any Team’s university, a Coach or a person
affiliated
with
a
Team
which
threatens
his/her
neutrality,
impartiality
and
independence.
Rule 7.3
Coaches
Coaches may not act as Judges or Mediators in any Mediation Session.
Judges and Mediators may not act as Coaches at any time in relation to the
Competition.
Judges and Mediators may train Teams without a Coach in preparing for the
Competition, if the following restrictions are respected:
Such training:

can only take place before the Competition commences and not during the
Competition;

cannot in any way relate to current Competition Problems;

automatically disqualifies a Professional from judging or mediating that Team in
the Competition.
Rule 7.4
Confidential Information
Judges and Mediators must keep the contents of the Confidential Information strictly
secret from Teams, apart from the disclosure allowed during the feedback in
accordance with the third paragraph of Rule 2.12. Professionals should be aware that
disclosure of Confidential Information to a Team may result in the disqualification of
the whole Team pursuant to Rule 8.0.
RULE 8.0
PENALTIES AND DISQUALIFICATION
If a violation of the Rules is considered to have been committed by a Team or one of
its members, the Organizing Committee may in its own absolute discretion, upon its
30
own initiative or a recommendation from one or more Judges, as the case may be,
impose a Penalty or disqualify a member of a Team or a whole Team.
A maximum three point reduction may be imposed for any violation of any of Rules
2.1, 2.4, 2.6, 2.7 or 4.3.
Disqualification from the Competition may be imposed for any violation of any of Rules
2.7, 2.9, 2.10, 4.1, 5.3, or 7.4.
Disqualification will be imposed for any violation of Rule 5.2 or 6.3.
Breach of no other Rule will result in a Penalty or Disqualification.
RULE 9.0
AWARDS
The Organizing Committee shall make arrangements for appropriate recognition of
Teams that achieve 1st Place (David Plant 1st Prize), 2nd Place, and Runner-up
positions, and shall also award the following Special Awards for the Preliminary
Rounds:

Best Mediation Plan

Best Opening Statement

Best Mediation Advocacy Skill: Advancing Your Interests

Best Team Work: Counsel and Client

Best Acknowledgement of Cultural Differences

Best Relationship Building with the Other Team

Best Public Speaker

Best Creative Solution Generation

Best Interaction with the Mediator
31

Best Team from a University Participating in the Competition for the First Time
(this reference is to a list of first time participating universities identified by the
Organizing Committee: see Competition Brochure)
Special Awards may be awarded only to Teams that are not proceeding to the EighthFinals.
Each Team may be awarded a maximum of one Special Award.
Furthermore, after the Competition, the Organizing Committee will issue a formal
Certificate of Participation in the Competition (save in the case of disqualification) to all
Team members.
RULE 10.0 ICC ORGANIZING COMMITTEE
Rule 10.1 Power to Take Additional Measures
The Organizing Committee may take such other measures as are required for the
orderly conduct of the Competition.
Rule 10.2 Interpretation of Rules
The Organizing Committee’s interpretation as to the implementation of the Rules is
final and conclusive.
32
ANNEX I. Score Sheets
A. Mediation Score Sheet – Preliminary Rounds
Your full name ________________________________________________________________
Name of Competing Team ______________________________________________________
Mark the appropriate round by checking the box with X
Preliminary Rounds
Saturday, 4 February
□ Morning □ Afternoon
Sunday, 5 February
□ Morning □ Afternoon
Monday, 6 February
□ Morning □ Afternoon
Total Points
Please make sure to mark all three sections:
1. Mediation Plan
2. Mediation Session
3.
Special
Award
(for Preliminary Rounds only)
Please double check your calculation
Total Mediation Plan
/ 4
Total Mediation Session
/ 46
Penalty Points
FINAL SCORE
/ 50
Please now indicate whether this Competing Team won or lost:
□ Won □ Lost
If the Competing Team on this Score Sheet has the higher number of points, this Competing Team has
won. If the Competing Team on this Score Sheet has the lower number of points, this Competing Team
has lost. There must be a difference of at least 1 point between the two Competing Teams. Accordingly,
you cannot give the same number of points to both Competing Teams.
Signature _______________________
33
Mediation Score Sheet – Preliminary Rounds
Please tick one box for each criterion
The Mediation Session:
Your Interests
Opening Statement of Your Perspective
and Interests
Presentation of events giving rise to the
dispute and relevant legal considerations.
Conveying
your
interests.
Showing
willingness to collaborate.
Excellent
Very Good
Good
Satisfactory
Poor
□
□
□
□
□
6
points
4
points
2
points
1
point
0
points
□
□
□
□
□
8
points
6
points
4
points
2
point
0
points
□
□
□
□
□
6
points
4
points
2
points
1
point
0
points
Advancing Your Interests
Ability to advance your business and other
interests
throughout
the
Mediation
consistent
with
your
Confidential
Information, while recognizing the interests
of the other Party and without sacrificing
your interests. Flexibility in adapting to the
unexpected, while still advancing your
interests.
Awareness,
and,
where
appropriate, assertion of your BATNA.
Team Work: Counsel & Client
Working together as a team, effectively
communicating with each other, sharing
responsibility appropriately and providing
mutual backup.
Sub – total
________/ 20
34
Mediation Score Sheet – Preliminary Rounds
Please tick one box for each criterion
The Mediation Session:
Working with the other Party
Information Gathering and Ascertaining
the Other Party’s Interests
Seeking relevant information and to
understand the other Party’s interests.
Demonstration of active listening skills.
Seeking to Collaborate with the Other
Party
Taking initiatives to build a problem-solving
relationship with the other Party. Making
appropriate strategic decisions on what to
disclose or not.
Working Together to Develop Options
Generation of a range of options designed
to meet your own and the other Party’s
interests, without premature evaluation.
The Mediation Session:
Working with the Mediator
Making Good Use of the Mediator
Appropriate use of the Mediator’s
assistance and response to the Mediator’s
interventions. Generally, working with the
Mediator in a constructive way.
Sub – total
Excellent
Very Good
Good
Satisfactory
Poor
□
□
□
□
□
6
points
4
points
2
points
1
point
0
points
□
□
□
□
□
6
points
4
points
2
points
1
point
0
points
□
□
□
□
□
6
points
4
points
2
points
1
point
0
points
Excellent
Very Good
Good
Satisfactory
Poor
□
□
□
□
□
8
points
6
points
4
points
2
point
0
points
________/ 26
35
B. Mediation Score Sheet – Final Rounds
Your full name ________________________________________________________________
Name of Competing Team ______________________________________________________
Mark the appropriate round by checking the box with X
Eighth Finals
Tuesday, 7 February
Semi Finals
□ Morning
Wednesday, 8 February
Quarter Finals
Tuesday, 7 February
□ Morning
Final
□ Afternoon
Wednesday, 8 February
□ Afternoon
Total Points
Please double check your calculation
Total Mediation Session
/ 46
Penalty Points
FINAL SCORE
/ 46
Please now indicate whether this Competing Team won or lost:
□ Won □ Lost
If the Competing Team on this Score Sheet has the higher number of points, this Competing Team has
won. If the Competing Team on this Score Sheet has the lower number of points, this Competing Team
has lost. There must be a difference of at least 1 point between the two Competing Teams. Accordingly,
you cannot give the same number of points to both Competing Teams.
Signature _______________________
36
Mediation Score Sheet – Final Rounds
Please tick one box for each criterion
The Mediation Session:
Your Interests
Opening Statement of Your Perspective
and Interests
Presentation of events giving rise to the
dispute and relevant legal considerations.
Conveying
your
interests.
Showing
willingness to collaborate.
Excellent
Very Good
Good
Satisfactory
Poor
□
□
□
□
□
6
points
4
points
2
points
1
point
0
points
□
□
□
□
□
8
points
6
points
4
points
2
point
0
points
□
□
□
□
□
6
points
4
points
2
points
1
point
0
points
Advancing Your Interests
Ability to advance your business and other
interests
throughout
the
Mediation
consistent
with
your
Confidential
Information, while recognizing the interests
of the other Party and without sacrificing
your interests. Flexibility in adapting to the
unexpected, while still advancing your
interests. Awareness and assertion of your
BATNA where necessary, and where
appropriate assertion of your BATNA.
Team Work: Counsel & Client
Working together as a team, effectively
communicating with each other, sharing
responsibility appropriately and providing
mutual backup.
Sub – total
________/ 20
37
Mediation Score Sheet – Final Rounds
Please tick one box for each criterion
The Mediation Session:
Working with the other Party
Information Gathering and Ascertaining
the Other Party’s Interests
Seeking relevant information and to
understand the other Party’s interests.
Demonstration of active listening skills.
Seeking to Collaborate with the Other
Party
Taking initiatives to build a problem-solving
relationship with the other Party. Making
appropriate strategic decisions on what to
disclose or not.
Working Together to Develop Options
Generation of a range of options designed
to meet your own and the other Party’s
interests, without premature evaluation.
The Mediation Session:
Working with the Mediator
Making Good Use of the Mediator
Appropriate use of the Mediator’s
assistance and response to the Mediator’s
interventions. Generally, working with the
Mediator in a constructive way.
Sub – total
Excellent
Very Good
Good
Satisfactory
Poor
□
□
□
□
□
6
points
4
points
2
points
1
point
0
points
□
□
□
□
□
6
points
4
points
2
points
1
point
0
points
□
□
□
□
□
6
points
4
points
2
points
1
point
0
points
Excellent
Very Good
Good
Satisfactory
Poor
□
□
□
□
□
8
points
6
points
4
points
2
point
0
points
________/ 26
38
C. Special Award Score Sheet – Preliminary Rounds
You can nominate each Team for a maximum of three Special Awards per Mediation
during the Preliminary Rounds.
Consequently, please tick a maximum of three boxes according to the Special Award
and the number of points you wish to distribute. If you tick more than three boxes, the
Organizing Committee will only take into consideration the three Special Awards the
Team scores highest in or randomly select three boxes.
Your full name _____________________________________________________________
Name of Competing Team ____________________________________________________
3 points
This
Team
showed excellent
skills
in this area.
Best Mediation Plan
Best Opening Statement of Your
Perspective and Interests
Best Mediation Advocacy Skill:
Advancing your Interests
Best Team Work: Counsel and
Client
Best Acknowledgement of
Cultural Differences
Best Relationship Building with
the Other Team
Best Public Speaker
Best Creative Solution
Generation
Best Interaction with the
Mediator
Best Team from a University
Participating in the Competition
for the First Time (reference is a
list of first time participating
universities identified by the
Organizing Committee, see
Competition brochure)
39
2 points
This
Team
showed very good
skills
in this area.
1 point
This Team showed
above average
skills in this area.
D. Mediation Plan Score Sheet
Please tick one box for each criterion (for detailed information concerning the
scoring sections please see Annex II.C.)
Your full name _____________________________________________________
Name of Competing Team ____________________________________________
Date and time _____________________________________________________
The mediation plan describes a team’s:
Mediation Strategy: What is the Team’s
strategy including its goals, objectives
and its likely success for resolving the
conflict?
The mediation plan defines:
Excellent
6 points
Satisfactory
3 points
Poor
0 points
Excellent
2 points
Satisfactory
1 points
Poor
0 points
Division of responsibilities and tactics
between the Client and Counsel during
the Mediation Session.
The Team’s underlying interests
The Team’s BATNA
The other Party’s likely underlying
interests
The other Party’s likely BATNA
Total:
*Pre-Total:
/16 points
Total:
/ 4 points
*The number of points to be reported on the Mediation Score Sheet is the pre-total points divided by 4, i.e.
the maximum total amount of points is 4.
40
ANNEX II
Instructions for Participants
A.
Rules
Please review carefully the Rules including all Annexes: please prepare well so
that you fully understand what is required of you.
B.
Mediator
Please do remember that the Competition is a mediation one, not a negotiation
one, so do use the Mediator.
C.
Mediation Plan
Pursuant to Rule 3 of the Rules, each Team must provide the Organizing
Committee on or before 15 January 2017 with copies of its finalized Mediation
Plans for the Preliminary Rounds (with a copy of the Brief Biographies attached).
Following submission to the Organizing Committee, Teams will not be permitted to
modify their Mediation Plans.
The Mediation Plan is crucial to a Team's preparation for the mediation. In it, a
Team sets out its underlying interests, goals and strategies, defines its best
alternative to a negotiated agreement (BATNA), and also reflects on the other
Party's possible interests and BATNA. In so doing, the Team works closely
through the case, and, by putting its ideas down in precise form in writing, the
Team makes sure it has a clear understanding of the case and its own stake in it,
as well as what might matter to the other Party. The Mediation Plan is seen as a
basis for effective preparation rather than a substantive part of the formal
Competition scoring, where it scores just 8%. The Mediation Plan is a way for
Teams to ensure that they are well prepared and thus improve their performance.
Please note that Judges read and score the Mediation Plans before the mediation
begins, and the impression these make will influence the way Judges perceive a
41
Team’s preparation. A professional, complete, effectively presented and wellformatted Mediation Plan makes a difference.
The Mediation Plan for each Mediation Session during the Preliminary Rounds
must be no more than 2 pages in 12-point, Arial font, 1.5 spacing and will not be
accepted by the Organizing Committee if it does not comply with this format.
Copies of the Mediation Plan (with a copy of the Brief Biographies attached) must
be provided by the Teams and handed to the Mediation Session Supervisor at the
start of the Mediation Session during the Preliminary Rounds.
Accordingly, students should plan to have two copies of each Mediation Plan (with
a copy of the Brief Biographies attached) available at the start of each Mediation
Session during the Preliminary Rounds.
The Mediation Plan should contain a brief evaluation under each of the following
headings:
1. Mediation Strategy: what is the Team’s strategy including its goals, objectives
and its likely success for resolving the conflict;
2. Division of responsibilities and tactics between Client and Counsel during the
Mediation Session – explain how the Team plans to share responsibilities
between Counsel and Client in the Mediation Session – explain why the Team
chose the particular responsibility sharing by reference to the Mediation
Problem;
3. The Team’s underlying interests – describe the interests that the Party plans to
advance in the Mediation Session by reference to the Mediation Problem;
4. The Team’s BATNA;
5. The other Party’s likely underlying interests – describe the likely interests of the
other Party by reference to the Mediation Problem;
6. The other Party’s likely BATNA – describe the likely BATNA of the other party
by reference to the Mediation Problem.
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A “strategy” refers to the overall approach taken to achieve a good settlement
whereas a “tactic” refers to specific action used to try to achieve or advance the
strategy.
For the Final Rounds (Eighth-finals, Quarter-finals, Semi-finals, and Final)
Mediation Plans are not required.
D.
Feedback Session
Participants are advised that Judges and Mediators are invited to share their
observations and constructive criticism with Competing Teams about their
performance in the Mediation during the feedback session.
Judges have been instructed that they are to give feedback in accordance with the
Judges’ feedback guidelines in Annex IV.C. Under no circumstances will this time
be used by a Judge to denigrate a Competing Team.
E.
Staying Within The Record
Rule 4.3 ‘Staying within the Record’ sets out the limit of the additional information
which is not included in the Problems that can be used by the Teams during the
Mediation.
Indeed, Teams are discouraged from carrying out research as problems are selfcontained and as excessive research could distract their attention from the
preparation for the actual Mediation. An excessive use of additional information
during the Mediation could also be counterproductive for the Teams, and may
draw the Teams beyond the scope of the Competition itself.
Nevertheless, doing some research of real facts related to the Problems is
permitted if it helps the Mediation move forward and the Teams to find a creative
solution of the Problem.
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As it is very difficult to draw a line between the two scenarios in a set Rule, Judges
have entire discretion in evaluating whether the Teams comply with this Rule.
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ANNEX III
Instructions for Mediators
A.
General Information
This is a mediation competition, not a negotiation competition. The aim is to
demonstrate today’s best practise in international commercial mediation, on the part of
all Competing Teams in the Mediation, as well as you as Mediator, within the
constraints of the Competition, as set out below.
As Mediator in the Competition you perform the valuable role of facilitating the Teams
to demonstrate their mediation skills. It is essential that the Mediators participating in
the Competition adopt a consistent and uniform approach to the Mediation. With this in
mind, please conduct each Mediation using the following guidelines:
1. How you approach your role as Mediator in the Mediation determines the
quality of the learning experience that each student will have during the
Competition. Your primary goal as a Mediator is to inspire the greatest quality of
Team performance during the Competition.
2. Please prepare well so that you fully understand what is required of you.
3. You must read in advance of the Competition the Rules including all Annexes
and the General Information (but not the Confidential Information) for each
Problem.
4. You must read in advance the Problems, but not the Confidential Information.
5. You must not read the Competing Teams’ Mediation Plans.
6. Your Mediator’s opening statement should be less than five minutes in duration.
For the purpose and content of your opening statement please refer to B below.
7. You should encourage each Competing Team to adopt practical and realistic
solutions to Problems, and to take account of financial and/or business
considerations.
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8. You should encourage Competing Teams to address all important issues during
the Mediation and you should discourage them from postponing “difficult” ones
to imaginary future sessions.
9. Please note, however, that it is not the aim of a Mediation to settle all issues in
dispute but to progress towards acceptable and realistic solutions.
10. As set out in B below, you are requested to adopt a facilitative style during the
Mediation, independent of your personal style in real life. Accordingly, you
should not:

suggest specific options for settlement;

express a view as to who is right and who is wrong;

be directive.
11. Please remember that the Mediation is short and lasts only 85 minutes. During
these 85 minutes the Competing Teams should be encouraged by you to
exercise their skills whilst you exercise your skills as Mediator as set out more
particularly in B and C below.
12. Caucuses are explained in Rule 2.1.3.
Caucusing is optional for the Competing Teams, and it is important to let the
Competing Teams make their own decision as to whether or not to have a
Caucus.
Even if you use a no-Caucus model of mediation in your practice or you think
that the time chosen to take a Caucus by a Competing Team is not appropriate,
please allow each Competing Team to take a Caucus when requested and call
for one when you consider it appropriate in accordance with Rule 2.1.3. Each
Caucus should last no more than five minutes.
13. You may remain in the room while the Judges score the Mediation Plans during
the Preliminary Rounds, and when they score at the end of the Mediation.
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14. You should also provide feedback to the students after the Judges’ feedback
session.
B.
Picture of Mediator’s Role
The expectation is that Mediators will – despite personal preferences and styles –
have a shared understanding of the commercial mediation model underlying the
Competition. For that reason, one can focus on the chronological dynamic, the socalled phase model of mediation (I.) and the individual Mediator roles and connected
techniques (II.). Against that background, the collection of possible interventions
presented in section D will become better understood.
1. Phase Model of Interest-Based, Facilitative Mediation
[Please note that due to the time constraints, the final phases might not be reached in
all sessions.]
Phase 1: Establishing Working Atmosphere
The Mediation usually begins with a short opening stage during which all participants
are introduced and the Mediator gives an introduction of the character and elements of
the process. In this phase, the Mediator has four principal goals: establishing contact
with the participants as well as an overall atmosphere of trust; explaining the process;
clarifying Parties’ intentions and ability to mediate; and proposing ground rules for the
communication between all participants.
Phase 2: Fact-Finding/Information Gathering
The goal of the Mediation at this next phase is to elicit all information necessary to
identify the particular issues needing resolution, and the dimensions of those issues.
This means identifying all relevant facts, including economic, political, emotional, and
other factors involved in each Party's view of the various issues. In the opening
statements, each Party is afforded a limited amount of time to present its viewpoint
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and the main facts and legal arguments on which it is based. The Mediator will usually
ask clarifying questions.
Phase 3: Working Through Conflict
The third phase constitutes the heart of the process of interest-based mediation. The
essential task is to explore and elicit the interests that will need to be met by any
agreement (and which underlie the positions) and information shared by the Parties so
far. During this phase, often starting from strongly divergent viewpoints, the Mediator
needs to actively support the Parties to recognize and appreciate their own as well as
the other Party’s interests and perception of the issues.
Phase 4: Developing and Evaluating Options
Once the Parties have ascertained the necessary information and identified their
positions and underlying interests, the Mediator can help them to develop options
without being taken to be making offers. In doing so, it can prove vital to explore the
full range of possibilities. The Mediator needs to counteract the tendency of any Party
to seize upon his or her proposal as the only solution.
Often, the Parties discard or hesitate to present valuable options simply because they
begin to evaluate in their minds and conclude that an option would ultimately prove
unacceptable.
To counter this, it is best if the Parties first collect multiple options without evaluating
them.
Phase 5: Agreement and Closure
When the negotiations have come to an end, through an agreement or otherwise, the
mediation has to be wrapped up by the Mediator. A failure to reach an agreement
should not be viewed as a failure of the process. In the Competition, the goal is not to
reach resolution or settlement of the dispute.
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2. Mediator Roles
With the above phases as reference, the following Mediator roles and connected
techniques prove relevant. Because the spectrum of suitable Mediator techniques and
intervention depends on the personal strategy and character of the Mediator, the
following assembly of aspects must be understood as a non-definitive selection.
Process Controller
Within the interest-based, facilitative mediation model, and subject to the right of the
Teams to require a Caucus, the Mediator has full process but no outcome control. He
or she establishes the protocol, suggests procedures, controls the timing and
structures the agenda.
Communication Facilitator
In the role as facilitator of communication, the Mediator identifies issues and gathers
information, helps to clarify facts, to obtain missing information and thereby helps to
determine whether or not available bargaining space exists. He or she can also be
supportive in separating negotiable from non-negotiable issues. By developing a
framework for exchange and understanding, the Mediator facilitates the elaboration of
underlying interests with Parties. Overall, he or she fosters meaningful communication
that is conducive to reaching agreement.
Formulator of Interests
Given the high relevance of interests in mediation, both eliciting and actively reframing
these interests is one of the essential and challenging functions a Mediator has.
Facilitator of Cognitive Change
In the context of cognitive misperception, with the ability of reframing issues, the
Mediator can serve as a veritable agent of reality. This role is most important in
situations where stalemate is caused more by different or wrong perceptions of the
same issues or other psychological factors, rather than by conflicts of interests. A
Mediator can help to dissolve psychological distancing, such as stereotyping,
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scapegoating and partisan perceptions, and ensure that all participants have a more
rational perception of the threat or value potential of a given scenario.
Provider of Creative, Problem-Solving Atmosphere
Another essential role of the Mediator is that of supporting the Parties in generating
options as well as providing a basis for selection when it comes to finding an
appropriate solution. The application of brainstorming methods, the creation of an
atmosphere where it is possible to raise ideas for solving the problem without
committing to them, are roles generally attributed to the Mediator. Mediators can
actively encourage settlement in many ways including verbal, non-verbal, procedural
and environmental methods and styles – all without taking control or decision making
away from the parties.
The Mediator actively engages the Parties in discussions as to assets they have that
could be of interest to the other Party – even if they may appear to have nothing to do
with the case at hand – in order to create value and enrich the resolution process.
Agent of Reality
It is a key function of the Mediator to test the (sometimes overconfident) assessments
and expectations of the Parties without the mediator expressing an opinion.
Impasse Breaking
The Mediator deals with deadlocks and impasses in an active and transparent fashion,
encouraging Parties to talk about the respective backgrounds. If necessary, the
Mediator also uses more provocative techniques in order to overcome deadlocks.
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C.
Flowchart Mediation Process
COMPETITION
FLOWCHART MEDIATION PROCESS
Mediation Plan
Preparation & Case Management
Mediation
1. Opening of the proceeding / / Establishing Working Atmosphere
2. Fact –Finding / / Compilation of Information and Issues
3. Working Through Conflict / / Interest Profiling
4. Developing and Evaluating Options
Not necessarily
part of the
Conclusion of the Proceeding / / Agreement and Closure
Competition
Not part of the
Implementation & Follow-up
Competition
D.
Mediator’s Intervention Sheet
The expectation is that Mediators will allow the Competing Teams to play the decisive
part in the Mediation, but will nevertheless actively support them in doing so. It is
therefore important that each Mediator gives plenty of space and time for the
Competing Teams to show their own communication and mediation skills, while also
intervening meaningfully when this is helpful. Here are some standard mediator
interventions with some reflection on their use in the Competition, where Competing
Teams often also display these skills.
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1. Open questions
To facilitate agenda setting, further information exchange, understanding of the issues
and interests, and to invite a comprehensive discussion of what is important.
What has brought you to mediation today?
Is there anything else?
Can you tell me more about how you see this?
Before we move on, is there anything else you need to say about this?
2. Use of a flip-chart
Parties in the Competition often find it helpful to use a flip-chart to create a visual
record of matters such as:

Agenda-setting

Brainstorming options

Details of agreements that have been made
Parties often request the Mediator to do this and it is an appropriate role for the
Mediator to undertake unless otherwise agreed between the Mediator and the Parties.
3. Reformulating Positions as Interests
To facilitate a better understanding of what matters and help the Parties move beyond
conflicting positions and towards options for resolution.
Can you explain why that is important to you?
May I ask you to become less specific for a moment and rather talk about the
motivation behind what you are actually demanding – what difference would this make
to you?
Can you say something about the reasons why you are asking for this?
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4. Summarizing
To facilitate understanding of interests and potential points of difference and
agreement, to slow the conversation down, to give the Parties a chance to correct the
summary and thus give everyone a better understanding of what matters, to check if
there is common understanding of what is being talked about or has been agreed.
What I understand so far is …
At the moment, it looks like this …
I will just run through the points raised / covered / agreed so far. Please correct me if I
get anything wrong or miss anything.
5. Promoting Empathy
To facilitate mutual understanding and perspective shift. Often done by the Mediator
mirroring or “looping” what one Party has said and their emotions or perspective, and
sometimes by an invitation to the Parties to put themselves in the other’s shoes.
Ok, so you feel … Is that right?
It seems that there are differing perspectives on this. Let’s try to summarize the
different views.
I wonder if you could try to say how you think the other Party feels about this?
Can you imagine how the other Party sees this?
6. Reframing
To facilitate communication by detoxifying or depersonalizing a statement so that a
message can be heard and dialogue can continue.
If I understand this correctly, you feel that communication from the other Party could
have been better?
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So you would feel that in order to move forward you need some positive sign from the
other Party?
7. Reality Testing
To facilitate a better understanding of a situation and sometimes to challenge the
parties. In the Competition, this may also be in Caucus.
If you agreed that, would it meet your interests?
Do you think this can be done? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the idea?
What will you do if you cannot agree on this?
What have you got to lose – or to gain – if you reveal that information?
8. Deeply Honest Questions
To facilitate a deeper transformative perspective on the conflict. In the Competition this
may be suitable for some of the more personally framed problems.
What did the other Party do that you found hurtful?
You feel that what would help here is an apology. Right?
Can you imagine the effect this has had on the other Party?
9. Hypothetical ‘What If’ Questions
To facilitate a focus on the future, to test options, to ascertain what really matters.
What if you woke up tomorrow and everything was resolved? What would the world
look like?
What if you agreed to this?
10. Activating Parties’ Creativity
To facilitate thinking outside of the box and the generation of creative options.
Can we try to list all the ideas we have so far and then perhaps see if we can come up
with any more?
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Is there anything else that could be suggested?
Let’s see if we can build on that idea. How can you modify it to make it more
attractive?
Can you imagine how someone else might see this? What would a neutral third-party
suggest you do?
E.
Mediators’ Feedback
In the feedback session, Mediators give feedback to the Teams after the Judges have
given their feedback. The Mediators have up to ten minutes for this. Mediators are
asked to give encouraging feedback to the students and are not required to follow any
specified feedback procedure - in contrast to Judges who are asked to follow the
procedure given in Annex IV C. Teams appreciate personal reflection by the Mediator
on how the Mediation progressed and what the Mediator appreciated or even found
challenging when working with the Teams. This feedback is not prescriptive or
evaluative, but appreciative and warm.
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ANNEX IV
Instructions for Judges
A. General Information
1. As Judges in this Competition, you perform two extremely important functions.
First, you evaluate and score the quality of performance by the Competing
Teams in accordance with B below. Secondly, you are invited to give
measured, balanced and constructive feedback in accordance with the
feedback guidelines in C below, in a manner calculated to empower the
students and increase their learning from this experience.
2. All Judges must read the Rules including all Annexes, the Problems and
the Confidential Information before the Competition. Please prepare well
so that you understand what is required of you.
3. Actual and apparent neutrality, impartiality and independence of each Judge
are of the utmost importance. Accordingly, please try in advance of the
Competition to identify any biases you may have and take a conscious decision
to discard them. Regularly ask yourself whether you are being fair and take
particular care to score each Competing Team in accordance with the Judges’
scoring guidelines in B below.
4. During the Preliminary Rounds all Judges must read each Competing Team’s
Mediation Plan (and attached Brief Biographies) at the beginning of a Mediation
Session.
5. The Mediation Plans will be scored separately in accordance with Rule 3.0.
Accordingly you must not take them into account when scoring the Competing
Teams’ performance in the Mediation. The Mediator may stay in the room while
the judges score the Mediation Plan.
6. For the sake of ensuring fairness and equality, you must use the judging
criteria, as set out in B below, to evaluate and score the Competing
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Teams, even if such criteria do not conform to your concept of best
practice.
7. Although the language of the competition is English, its international character
means that it draws Teams from many different cultures.
There are some
obvious differences, such as between the native and non-native English
speakers, and there are more subtle differences such as between the members
of English speaking Teams who come from different countries. Judges are
encouraged to do two things in this respect:
i) To read the Team Brief Biographies prior to judging. All Team’s biographies
are included in the Competition Brochure. This will help them to:
 identify what cultural issues may emerge during the Mediation;
 challenge assumptions about who are native English speakers and
who are not;
 know the Competing Team members’ real names that Judges can use
in feedback.
Teams may contain students whose cultural and linguistic backgrounds are
not immediately apparent. Judges should bear this in mind. Please note that
experience has shown that that it might be more difficult for non-native
English speaking students to express a full range of emotions as they might
be using their energy to find the right words.
ii) To consider how, within the Mediation, Competing Teams demonstrate a
sensitivity to and respect for potential cultural and linguistic differences in a
way that allows them to be ‘soft on the people and hard on the problem’ as
the proponents of principled negotiation recommend.
8. Do not penalize any Competing Teams for failing to reach settlement. Do not
reward any Competing Teams for reaching settlement. Due to the tight
timeframe, full settlement is not the aim of the Competition. Do reward
Competing Teams for strategies which facilitate progression to resolution. While
57
settlement would suggest finalized and signed agreements, resolution is
understood as the Team's ability to make progress in understanding their
conflict and considering possible solutions.
9. Judges have entire discretion as to whether any research carried out is
permitted under Rule 4.3, as mentioned in paragraph E of Annex II. In doing so,
Judges should particularly take into account whether the information presented
by the Teams actually contributed to the advancement of the Mediation.
10. Each Judge must first independently score each Competing Team. The Judges
may then confer with each other prior to finalizing their Score Sheets. If need
be, the Judges may subsequently adapt their individual scores. The Mediator
may stay in the room while the Judges score.
11. The Judges do not have to award the same number of points or agree on which
Competing Team should be awarded more points.
12. You must indicate on your Score Sheet which Competing Team won and which
Competing Team lost.
13. Accordingly, you cannot award the exact same amount of points to both
Competing Teams. There must be a difference of at least one point.
14. You must complete a Score Sheet for each Competing Team before providing
feedback.
15. Your Score Sheets will be collected by the Mediation Session Supervisor after
each Mediation Session.
16. Once Competing Teams and Coaches have returned to the room, you should
provide feedback to each Competing Team in accordance with C. In order to
avoid disturbances, Coaches and Observers for both Competing Teams must
remain in the room through the entire feedback session.
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B. Judges’ Scoring Guidelines
1. What is being scored?
Judges are asked to mark on the basis that they are looking for the most effective deal
makers who make best use of the mediation process, whilst remaining consistent with
their Confidential Information. This will involve evidence of skills such as flexibility,
listening and empathy and of a Competing Team’s showing that it is capable of moving
towards a collaborative outcome. The specific skills to be evaluated by the Judges are
set out in the Score Sheets in Annex I.
2. Consistency
In order to achieve consistency, Judges are required to award points in line with the
Score Sheet (Annex I.). This will enable the Judges to quickly, easily and consistently
establish the standard at which the Competing Teams are performing. The respective
Score Sheets will be sent to the Teams following the Competition and will therefore
provide additional feedback.
Should Judges wish to provide additional comments to the Competing Teams, they
are invited to include them directly on the Score Sheet or on an extra sheet of paper
which they attach to the Score Sheet.
3. Definition of the scoring levels
There are 5 descriptors: Excellent, Very Good, Good, Satisfactory, Poor.
As judge, your starting point for scoring is the “Good” descriptor. Good is the measure
of a team’s performance in the mediation if the team is displaying all the elements of
the particular scoring criterion and the mediation is going well but the team cannot be
assessed as delivering an overall great performance. From Good judges may then
move up or down the descriptors.
Broadly, the majority of teams will display a Good or Very Good performance.
Assessment at Excellent and Poor will be rare and exceptional. Satisfactory will be
59
an appropriate assessment for a performance that does not meet the standard of
Good but is not Poor.
For example: In assessing “Team Work: Counsel & Client” – a team that was working
together effectively and communicating with each other but failed to exhibit sharing
responsibility or providing mutual back up would be assessed as Satisfactory.
Excellent: The Team was outstanding compared with the typical or usual standard in
every element of the criterion.
Very Good: The Team was outstanding in some but not all elements of the criterion
or above the typical or usual standard in every element.
Good: The Team was above the typical or usual standard in some but not all
elements of the criterion or at the typical or usual standard in every element.
Satisfactory: The Team was at the typical or usual standard in some but not all
elements of the criterion.
Poor: The Team was substantially below the typical or usual standard in some
elements or did not demonstrate the behaviour described in the criterion.
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C. Judges’ Feedback Guidelines
1. Feedback
The focus of the Competition is on the development of the students’ mediation
representation skills. This is achieved by their practice of mediation representation
during the Competition and feedback from you as Judges. The aim is to provide a
positive learning experience for the students. To achieve this consistently and fairly
across all of the Mediations in the Competition, all Judges are asked to follow the
guidelines set out below.
Relevant and developmental feedback to the Competing Teams at the end of each
Mediation Session in accordance with the guidelines set out in these instructions is an
essential part of the Competition. Measured, balanced and constructive comment
enables the participating students to learn and to develop their skills.
It is vital that Judges give feedback that is:

clear and succinct

measured and focused

balanced (fair)

constructive and digestible

respectful
Judges should be aware that in giving feedback the students perceive you as
experienced Professionals and consequently will take what you say very seriously.
How are fairness and consistency achieved?
Use the guidelines for giving feedback. Adherence to the guidelines will ensure your
feedback is:

constructive and effective;

appreciated and understood by students and

provides solid points for students to take into their next Mediation.
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The method by which you are asked to give feedback is based on the style developed
by the National Institute of Trial Advocacy (NITA®). A well-defined and recognised
feedback protocol delivers consistency and maximises student learning. Your
adherence to the format set out below is vital because:
1. Research has shown that in skills assessments, students can assimilate no
more than two or three learning points at a time. It is for this reason you are
asked to refer to no more than two points of feedback per Team.
2. Using the NITA® method assists in the giving of clear and direct feedback that
is balanced and non-judgemental without being harsh. It avoids diluted or mixed
messages.
3. Students must receive feedback that they can use in their next Mediation
Sessions to enable them to develop their skills.
The Organising Committee wants all students to feel that their experience was worth
the effort of their participation and journey to the Competition venue. The Organising
Committee thanks you for the extra effort you give to make the feedback session a
positive, constructive experience for each of the students.
2. Method for Delivery of Oral Feedback to each Competing Team
following the Mediation
During the Mediation Session, each Judge should identify two examples of behaviours
or conduct by each Competing Team (ideally one for each Team member) that either:

were effective on the other Team, or produced a positive impact on the
Mediation (i.e. something that the team should develop and use again); or

would benefit from improvement (i.e. something that the Team should think
about not doing again or doing differently next time)
Ideally, when providing feedback to each Team, each Judge should choose different
behaviours or conduct upon which to provide feedback, although this is not essential.
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Start your feedback point by explicitly linking it to a category on the Score Sheet. For
each example, feedback should be given using all of the following four elements.
1. Headline: “I want to talk to you about... (name one of the 7 categories from the
Score Sheet).
2. Playback: Replay what the students said or did. This must be replayed
accurately because it will establish credibility for what you are about to say.
3. Rationale: Say why it was useful or not useful. Make it short, clear and
credible.
4. Prescription: “Next time, why not try...” make sure that you have chosen
something that you can fix or improve further. Think about giving a
demonstration.
To ensure consistent, helpful feedback Judges are asked to:

Be direct and constructive

Provide a critique which recognises the level of experience of students – not
Judges;

Devote the same attention to each of the two Competing Teams.
Process in outline:
a) Say which Team, and name the student you are addressing;
b) Name a category from the Score Sheet;
c) Describe precisely what you saw or heard the students do or say;
d) Say what they did or said worked well, or did not work so well from your
perspective;
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e) Make a recommendation for a different approach or choice of words or for more
of the same (reinforcing feedback). “Here are some things you might want to
consider as options...”
3. Examples of Feedback using this method.
Example A:
Behaviour or conduct observed:
During the opening statement, Team A, the Requesting Party, hands to Team B a
document. It is neither referred to during Team A’s opening nor during the Mediation
Session. Team B however uses it in their opening to advance their interests.
Feedback to Team A following the 4 steps might look like this:
1. Headline: [set the context by reference to the Score Sheet heading]
“I want to talk to you about your opening statement of your perspective and interests.
In particular, hand-outs and props.”
2. Playback: [this must be an accurate recall of what happened or what was said]
“During the first minute of your opening statement, you handed to Team B a document
but you did not explain the purpose of the document and you did not refer to it again
during the Mediation Session. Team B, however, made reference to your document in
their opening statement and used it to convey their interests and a willingness to
collaborate.”
3. Rationale: [why did it work or did not work?]
“By not explaining the purpose or significance of your document in relation to your
interests or position, you lost the opportunity of making an early impact upon Team B
to advance your interests. Team B took advantage of the error and used your own
document to successfully advance their interests.”
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4. Prescription: [What you should do/not do in your next Mediation Session]
“Handouts can be useful if they have a strategic purpose. Without this they can be an
unnecessary distraction. Next time, think carefully about what the document is
intended to achieve. Think about how you will refer to it during the mediation and the
impact it will have on the other party.”
Example B:
Behaviour or conduct observed:
In the middle of the Mediation Session, Team B, the Responding Party, makes a
statement to Team A which sets out ground rules for collaboration with Team A to
generate options. The statement produces a breakthrough in the progress of the
Mediation Session.
Feedback to Team B following the 4 steps might look like this:
1. Headline: [set the context by reference to the Score Sheet heading]
“I want to talk to you about your seeking to collaborate with the other party”.
2. Playback: [this must be an accurate recall of what happened or what was said]
“You (i.e. Team B) said:
...it is not about the claim. It is the deep-rooted question of trust and a proposal to
reinstate [client’s name]. You need to understand this before we talk about figures...”
3. Rationale: [why did it work or did not work?]
“This worked well because it appealed to the fundamental issue of trust and produced
a very effective platform for building a problem-solving relationship with the other
party. This then created the basis for option generation and moved the Mediation
Session on. Seeking a collaboration based on a clear understanding of your client’s
underlying concerns strengthened the problem solving relationship and facilitated
option generation to meet these concerns.”
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4. Prescription: [What you should do/not do in your next Mediation Session]
“Next time, and in the future, seek to identify ways to achieve a collaborative
relationship with the other party by making your concerns clear.”
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D. Judge’s Feedback Aide Memoire
Team: ____________________________________________________________
Judge: ____________________________________________________________
Headline: What I want to comment upon: “I want to talk to you about...”
Playback: What you said or did (it must be accurate and specific). It is the most
important part of the feedback because it establishes credibility.
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Rationale: What was useful/What was not so useful. Make this short, clear and
credible
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Prescription: “Why not try...” Make sure you choose something that you can fix or
can improve further. You will be critiquing a skill so think about giving a demonstration.
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